Every NFL Team's Biggest Training Camp Revelation Thus Far

Every NFL Team's Biggest Training Camp Revelation Thus Far

Training camps are in full swing in the NFL, and we have gotten our first taste of game action with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game. The game was but a few drops of football to slake our thirst for the sport, but there is a lot more to glean from practices across the league.

We are still in the thick of camps with plenty to go, but what are some of the biggest revelations around the league? Here is one for each team to date.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have a nice one-two punch at wide receiver with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, but they lost a solid third wheel when Andre Roberts signed in Washington.

They may have found a decent replacement in John Brown.

The rookie out of Pittsburg State was a bit of a surprise third-round pick by the Cardinals in a deep draft at receiver, but he has been proving Arizona right in camp thus far. Brown has Cardinals campbuzzing, as tweeted by NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

He has been so good that some think he will "overtake"veteran Ted Ginn Jr. on the depth chart.

Atlanta Falcons

There has been some concern that Atlanta Falcons receiver Julio Jones might never fully recover from re-injuring his surgically repaired foot in Week 5 of last season.

The Falcons were already crumbling before then, but Jones' injury sent the team into a free fall. It was vital that he return to form for Atlanta to bounce back in the ultra-competitive NFC.

It seems that is the case.

The talented receiver wasdeclared healthyand cleared for camp. Jones looked like hisold, explosive selfearly in camp, per ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure. Having a healthy Jones back and terrorizing defenses should come as a relief to the Falcons, who can now worry about other things.

Baltimore Ravens

Safety Will Hill has always been a talented player, but his off-field issues have been cause for concern over the years.

Hill has seen multiple suspensions, including a recent six-game sentence (for violating the league's substance-abuse policy) that got him booted from the New York Giants. It was too bad for New York, which saw Hill have a nice season in 2013.

The former Florida Gator ranked third at his position over at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and it looked like the Giants had a good find on their hands. Unfortunately, his knuckle-headed tendencies off the field sunk that idea.

He landed in Baltimore after he was cut, a reclamation project for the Ravens. So far, it seems like the reward has been worth the minimal risk, as Hill has been quite good in camp, per The Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson:

Since his arrival, Hill has been impressive enough that Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has lamented that the former New York Giants starter is suspended for the first six games for his third violation of NFL drug policies.

"[I wish] he was eligible for the first game," Pees said. "I’ll tell you what: That guy is really a good, good football player. He’s big, he’s fast, smart and been great in the classroom. You talk about a guy coming over from another team catching on.

"Day One, he walked out there and kind of knew what was going on just from sitting in the classroom taking notes and getting back in the playbook and seeing what we have. He’s an impressive guy."

It is unfortunate Hill is suspended to start the season, but the team's quest to replace Ed Reed may have finally come to an end if Hill is truly on the straight and narrow.

Buffalo Bills

Biggest revelation: Seantrel Henderson may have been the steal of the 2014 draft

Seantrel Henderson did a fantastic job torpedoing his draft stock during predraft season.

The former Miami Hurricane offensive tackle threw up red flag after red flag, and he almost fell all the way out of the draft despite having first-round talent. His problems have been largely motivational—Henderson can be great when he wants to be, but that has rarely been the case throughout his career.

The Bills took a chance on Henderson in the seventh round, however, and it has paid off thus far. Per Matthew Fairburn of Syracuse.com, Henderson has stepped in as a starter for Cordy Glenn, who has been sidelined by an undisclosed illness thus far in Bills camp.

Henderson has done a fine job there thus far, even starting in the Hall of Fame game with success. It's unlikely he will see the field much as a rookie if everyone is healthy, but the Bills may have found themselves quite the steal in the draft.

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers needed receivers in a bad way this offseason. Their solution amounted to an aging receiver with one good season under his belt and an overrated rookie.

At least that’s the way it seemed when the Panthers drafted Kelvin Benjamin in the first round. The 6’5”, 240-pound Florida State product is a big target, to be sure, but he had lackluster production and measurables for a guy taken with the 28th overall pick.

If camp is any indication, however, Benjamin may be the real deal after all, per ESPN.com's David Newton:

"Yes, he does," wide receiver coach Rick Proehl said when I asked if Benjamin looked like a No. 1 receiver. "It's obvious."

It's also early, as Proehl quickly reminded. But he also admitted early returns are looking good.

"There are going to be some trials he's going to go through," Proehl said. "But if you keep making plays like he is right now they're going to come up and press him. How he adjusts and how he adapts will be his next step in being a No. 1 receiver.

"But every indication, right now ... he has a great feel for the game."

Benjamin still makes rookie mistakes, but he doesn't look like a rookie. And as Proehl noted, the misperception that Benjamin wasn't advanced in running good routes, "that's not true at all."

If early returns are any indication, Benjamin is going to be huge for the Panthers offense and fantasy owners everywhere in 2014.

Chicago Bears

Biggest revelation: The Bears cannot rely on Marquess Wilson after all

There haven’t been many big camp revelations in Chicago thus far. Unfortunately, the Bears have lost their No. 3 receiver for a while.

Marquess Wilson was having a nice camp and getting reps as the third receiver on the depth chart, per ESPN.com's Melissa Isaacson. Unfortunately, his camp was cut short by a broken collar bone sustained while diving for a ball.

Hopefully Wilson won't be missing too much time during the regular season, but it looks like the Bears will be without him for at least the first few weeks. They will have to rely on the likes of Josh Morgan, Eric Weems and Chris Williams to fill that void.

Cincinnati Bengals

The tight end out of Notre Dame saw less playing time in 2013 than many anticipated thanks to Jermaine Gresham’s persistent presence in the starting lineup. Eifert’s play wasn’t good enough to get him on the field more often, either.

That may no longer be the case.

Eifert has looked great while Gresham has been sidelined by a back injury, per Cincy Jungle's Jason Marcum:

Since training camp has opened, Eifert has been nearly unstoppable in practice. He's beating corners deep for bombs, snagging contested passes over the middle and becoming a favorite target for Andy Dalton.

Eifert simply cannot be contained by Bengals defenders, who've repeatedly allowed him to get behind them for big plays. At one point earlier in camp, Eifert caught a 90-yard TD from Dalton. In Saturday's scrimmage, Eifert opened the game with a 35-yard touchdown catch off a play-action pass. He later caught another TD running down the sideline with ease.

Another bona fide weapon will go a long way toward helping quarterback Andy Dalton justify his new, massive contract.

Cleveland Browns

There is no bigger revelation coming for the Cleveland Browns than the results of Josh Gordon's appeal.

The stud receiver is reportedly facing a yearlong ban for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, and he recently completed an appeal of his suspension. Unfortunately, the appeal process could take weeks, per The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot—which is just cruel for Browns fans and fantasy owners awaiting Gordon's fate with bated breath.

It doesn't look good for Gordon, but it would be nice to have a resolution either way.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have been hit hard on defense this offseason and preseason. It has been particularly brutal at defensive end.

They were forced to cut ties with longtime end DeMarcus Ware, then saw the man they drafted to replace him—DeMarcus Lawrence—break his foot, which may knock him out for eight to 10 weeks, per ESPN.com’s Jean-Jacques Taylor.

That leaves guys like Martez Wilson and Jeremy Mincey to try to fill that hole. It will be interesting to see who wins the starting job on that side while Lawrence is out, but it's likely both will see plenty of playing time in a rotation.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos got themselves a pass-rusher for the future when they took Quanterus Smith in the 2013 draft.

Smith was recovering from a torn ACL he sustained while terrorizing opposing quarterbacks at Western Kentucky. His draft stock sank as a result, and the Broncos wound up taking him in the fifth round, subsequently stashing him as a rookie.

The second-year defensive end is healthy now, and he is competing for a spot on the roster. So far, he has been impressive, per Bleacher Report's own Cecil Lammey:

All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady complimented Smith after practice on Thursday. "He’s a good player, for sure. Fast. Really good hands. He’s definitely a good player, and he’ll definitely make the team."

John Fox had good things to say about Smith’s performance so far. "We had other guys we developed, [DE] Quanterus Smith is a guy that most fans don’t know much about but the guy was on IR last year, he has had a good camp thus far."

Malik Jackson feels confident about Smith’s ability. "[Quanterus] is doing real well, too. Last year he didn’t play, but right now, he’s coming along nicely."

You can never have too many quality pass-rushers on defense, and Smith may well be bolstering Denver's line this fall.

Detroit Lions

The middle of the Detroit Lions defensive line might look drastically different next year.

Detroit decided against picking up the fifth-year option on defensive tackle Nick Fairley’s contract, meaning he is set to hit free agency in the absence of an extension or the franchise tag. Fellow defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh might be on his way out, too.

Contract talks between Suh and the Lions stalled and ultimately ended, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Perhaps he is angling to be the highest-paid defensive player in the league, as relayed by Carlos Monarrez of the Free Press:

Former agent Joel Corry took the Lions’ saying they were tabling contract talks until after the season as a sign that Suh’s demands were sky high and that the two sides were too far apart to make a deal happen before the contract voids a few days after the Super Bowl in 2015.

"That indicates to me that Ndamukong Suh was probably asking to be the highest-paid defensive player, and the Lions don’t want to touch that number right now," said Corry, a contributor for CBS Sports and the National Football Post. "Otherwise, there’d probably be a deal done. That’s what it signals to me."

That would be quite the hefty contract for a defensive tackle, and it shouldn't be surprising that the Lions—who have massive money committed to quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson already—may want to pass on a new deal.

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers were a woeful lot at safety last season, and drafting Ha'Sean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix out of Alabama was an excellent choice. It seemed like he was destined to start as a rookie.

Not so fast—at least not if Micah Hyde has anything to say about it.

The converted cornerback has been turning heads thus far, keeping his rookie competition at arm's length for the starting gig opposite Morgan Burnett, per Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Houston Texans

The ongoing saga between receiver Andre Johnson and the Houston Texans fizzled, but an injury to Johnson has given the team a chance to shine a light on its receiver of the future, DeAndre Hopkins.

The second-year man out of Clemson has been impressive in camp thus far, per the Houston Chronicle's Dale Robertson:

Andre Johnson made the Texans’ first highlight-reel catch of the preseason a week ago, but he paid for his heroics with a strained hamstring that has limited him to spectating.

That’s bad news for the Texans, but Johnson’s absence has given DeAndre Hopkins a greater share of center stage.

And the second-year receiver hogged almost every square inch over the weekend, making one remarkable reception after another – mostly on passes from his new best friend, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Hopkins’ best grab during Sunday’s scrimmage, on a ball he pulled in over his shoulder while lunging, also displayed his keen field awareness. He got his foot down in time to kick the pylon loose at the goal line. Touchdown!

The Texans must be looking ahead, given the 33-year-old Johnson isn't happy in his situation, not to mention he is getting a bit long in the tooth.

Indianapolis Colts

There have been a few surprises at Indianapolis Colts training camp thus far, but none bigger than tight end Erik Swoope.

Swoope is the latest in a growing line of former basketball players attempting to make the leap to tight end in the NFL. Success is a tall order for such players, but it might be particularly tall for Swoope, given that he hails from Jimmy Graham’s alma mater, University of Miami.

So far, head coach Chuck Pagano is impressed, per Kevin Bowen of Colts.com:

To be able to just break a huddle, get in a stance, run the routes that he ran, catch the balls that he caught, I mean, off the charts, exceeded our expectations way beyond anything that you’d ever imagine for a guy that never played.

If he continues to work, he’s a bright guy, he’s smart, he picks things up, he looks like he’s got great passion for this. Who knows?

He might be a long shot to make the roster right now, but anything could happen in the coming weeks.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Rookie receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson have done a nice job thus far, and the team continues its rebuilding process. Rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, who will back up starter Chad Henne, remains shelved, and Toby Gerhart looks to be the bell cow in that backfield.

The biggest revelation during camp, however, was rather literal.

Jacksonville recently unveiled $63 million worth of renovations at EverBank Field, per The Florida Times-Union's Meredith Rutland, including the monstrosities that are new, 362-foot video boards.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are set at safety, but they may have found themselves a gem in undrafted free agent Daniel Sorensen.

Per ESPN.com's Adam Teicher, Sorensen has played his way into contention for a roster spot:

Backup safety Daniel Sorensen has consistently displayed good instincts and ball skills since joining the Chiefs in the spring as an undrafted rookie. This practice was no different. Sorensen was the day’s star. He intercepted a pair of passes and broke up another. As with all developmental players, Sorensen needs to play well against the Bengals and subsequent preseason games if he’s going to stick with the Chiefs when the regular season begins.

If he can play the games the way he has practiced, Sorensen has a legitimate shot to win a job as a special teams ace.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins snagged running back Knowshon Moreno on a one-year contract, seemingly a steal in free agency. Perhaps it was the Dolphins who were fleeced.

Moreno showed up to offseason workouts out of shape, and he wound up having surgery soon thereafter. The surgery was supposed to keep him out a month or so, but it seems he will be out much longer, per Adam H. Beasley of the Miami Herald:

When asked if he expects to be back for at least one preseason game, Moreno responded: "I don’t know. I don’t know. I really don’t even know. I just want to take each day one at a time. They have a schedule for me and they’re just going to tell me every day what I have to do, and I just go out there and do it."

Up until now, that’s mostly included doing rehab exercises with starting center Mike Pouncey, who’s also on the mend, while his teammates practice.

And with each passing day, he appears to lose a bit more ground to Lamar Miller in the race to become Miami’s No. 1 tailback.

Being unable to rely on Moreno means the Dolphins will be back to last year's disappointing tandem of Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas, for the time being.

Minnesota Vikings

There is no question that Teddy Bridgewater is the quarterback of the future in Minnesota. The question is whether that future is now.

If he keeps playing the way he has during training camp, the answer will be yes.

After seeing Bridgewater in camp, Fox Sports' Jay Glazer had this to say: "Leaving Vikings for Green Bay. Hugeeee optimism here for Bridgewaters future. He and Cassel pretty much splitting reps. May not be Week 1 starter but he's definitely been more impressive than they expected."

New England Patriots

There is simply no way to overstate how big of a pickup cornerback Darrelle Revis was for the New England Patriots. Arguably the best cornerback in the league, Revis is a game-changer—a queen on the chess board—for head coach Bill Belichick and that Patriots defense.

The Patriots also brought in Brandon Browner to shore up the cornerback position, which had some quality young guns to begin with. Quarterback Tom Brady has noticed a difference, and he likes what he sees so far, per Anthony Gulizia of Boston.com:

The presence of players like Revis and Browner has raised the level of competition for the Patriots offense and their receivers, forcing them to work harder and sharper – a challenge the veteran quarterback has embraced.

"They’re both great players," Brady said of Revis and Browner. "When you make a mistake, they make you pay, and I think that’s the mark of a really good corner."

It sounds like an improved defense could lead to an improved offense in New England by virtue of competition in practice—a scary thought for the rest of the league.

New Orleans Saints

Last season saw rookie Khiry Robinson get an extended run for the New Orleans Saints as the backfield dealt with injury. We got a glimpse of his abilities as he put up 224 yards rushing on 54 attempts.

Robinson entered camp as a sleeper in line to produce big numbers, but he would have to beat out Pierre Thomas or Mark Ingram to get some significant playing time. Per Gary Estwick of the Sun Herald, Robinson has a legitimate shot to do just that after a strong start to camp:

Don't be surprised if running back Khiry Robinson wins the starting job in the Saints backfield. The Saints aren't expected to keep Mark Ingram around after this season which is why it makes sense to move Robinson, a second-year pro, into the job at some point this season. That's if Robinson can prove his pass protection has improved.

It will be interesting to see if Robinson can keep that momentum and pull off the coup over the next few weeks.

New York Giants

Anemic. That is the best way to describe the offense in New York last season, regardless of which NFL team we are talking about.

The Giants were going to do something about it, but offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride retired before giving them a chance, per Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. They wound up hiring Ben McAdoo away from Green Bay to take his place, and his offense has been quite the change.

McAdoo is focusing on tempo and the short-to-intermediate passing game, a stark contrast to the offense we saw in New York in recent years. We caught a glimpse of that during the Hall of Fame game, when it looked like the Giants were never going to throw the ball more than five yards downfield.

If the offense works as intended, the Giants might see quite the turnaround this season on that side of the ball.

New York Jets

The New York Jets had an abysmal offense last season, particularly when throwing the ball.

They attempted to address that by signing receiver Eric Decker and drafting tight end Jace Amaro in the second round, but it appears the latter may have been a mistake if practices to date are any indication.

Amaro has had an unimpressive start to his NFL career. He reportedly "looked lost" in Jets minicamp, per ESPN.com's Rich Cimini, and he had a disappointing start to training camp, as tweeted by NFL.com's Kimberly Jones.

Per Cimini, Amaro recently had to have a pep talk from Jets general manger John Idzik.

He may well put these struggles behind him down the road, but Amaro may not be contributing much to the offense early this season at this rate.

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders have a budding young star at tight end, and his name is not David Ausberry.

That is not to say Ausberry may not blossom into a great player himself, but it has been second-year tight end Mychal Rivera who has been making the most noise for the Raiders this preseason. His coaching staff has noticed, per Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com:

He set off on a rigorous offseason training program designed to build on last year’s foundation. That mission was accomplished. The coaching staff can certainly tell.

"The guy who has shown the most improvement from a year ago is Mychal Rivera," offensive coordinator Greg Olson said. "He looks more athletic. He’s stronger and more confident. He has a little bit of swagger to him this season."

Rivera has always been a confident fellow, but his faith is well placed. He’s had a excellent start to training camp, an important achievement with a new quarterback in town.

A few more weeks of this and Rivera's job is as good as safe.

Philadelphia Eagles

For years cornerback Nolan Carroll teased Miami Dolphins fans with talent, but his inconsistent play couldn’t get him on the field as often as either party would have liked. Miami moved on this past offseason.

Miami’s loss was Philadelphia’s gain, however, at least if training camp is any indication. Carroll has been a playmaker—something the Eagles have sorely lacked in the secondary—per NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks:

"He's a very well‑rounded talent," said defensive coordinator Billy Davis. "He's got size, he's got length, he's got speed. He's a real tenacious competitor. I love his attitude out there the way he presses and competes and puts his hands on the people, and he's got a good knack for the ball."

Carroll's knack for the ball might be what stands out the most. The cornerback has done such a good job breaking up the passes that come his way, it might be time for the Eagles to strongly consider whether or not he should be on the field over either of last year's starters, Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher.

An improved secondary is key to Philadelphia's success this season, and Carroll seems to be an upgrade based on early camp returns. It will be interesting to see if he can continue his solid play.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't get much out of pass-rusher Jarvis Jones in his rookie season. It looks like they might get their money's worth from the former first-round pick in his sophomore season, however.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Jones is off to a nice start in this year's training camp:

"He’s a whiz when it comes to coaching," Jones said. "As a player and from the coaching side, he knows what’s going on. You’re not hearing it from a guy who just sits there and watched football. It’s someone who was actually in your position and did everything and did it greatly." ...

... The coaches already have noticed how much quicker Jones appears to be in training camp — the result of having a better understanding of the defense.

Now he wants to have a disruptive influence similar to Porter, his mentor, who ranks fifth in team history with 60 sacks.

"I’m passionate about it," Jones said.

The Steelers are going to need a big boost in their pass-rushing unit if they are to compete in the tough AFC North.

San Diego Chargers

Wide receiver Keenan Allen was a revelation last year, and it didn’t come until the regular season. But behind him there is weeping and gnashing of teeth at the receiver position in San Diego.

The Chargers may be getting a boost from a veteran, though.

Malcom Floyd seems like he has been injured for the majority of his career, but he is back from his latest malady. Unlike the knee injuries that plagued him for most of his career, however, Floyd injured his neck in a freakish way last season.

Floyd was working out as of April, and his presence should solidify an otherwise shaky wide receiver corps. He is back and looking great, per Tom Krasovic of The San Diego Union-Tribune.

San Francisco 49ers

The losers of the 2014 preseason have already been declared—the San Francisco 49ers.

Bad luck has struck the Bay Area squad as devastating injuries have piled up in a short amount of time.

Some key players have been lost, while others are still recovering from last year’s maladies. That nasty combination could conspire to cut down San Francisco at the knees, at least early in the season.

NaVorro Bowman is still coming back from a torn ACL, an injury from which he may not be fully recovered for some time yet.

Meanwhile, Kendall Hunter (torn ACL) and Glenn Dorsey (torn biceps) are already lost for the season, and several players have suffered myriad lesser injuries that have been running rampant through the roster.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are the defending champions, and it seems like they got stronger this offseason. But that doesn't mean their roster is perfect—far from it.

There are holes in certain key areas. Namely, right tackle is unsettled, particularly after Michael Bowie's release after a shoulder injury.

The Seahawks recently signed offensive tackle Eric Winston after his prolonged stay on the free-agent market. He should be the Week 1 starter, but second-round pick Justin Britt will have something to say about that.

Britt has taken the first-team reps thus far, per Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk, but the ink has only just dried on Winston's one-year contract. It will be interesting to see how the Seahawks approach the position in the coming weeks.

St. Louis Rams

It seemed like yet another Jeff Fisher import when the St. Louis Rams signed Kenny Britt this past offseason. Britt had been a bitter disappointment with the Tennessee Titans, even after seemingly putting his off-field issues behind him.

The Rams needed some depth and a prayer at wide receiver, and Britt filled that bill nicely. Training camp has proven he might be much more, however.

Britt is flashing some of that potential that tantalized Titans fans and fantasy owners alike. In fact, he has been good enough to snag a starting spot on the Rams' initial depth chart, per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

If he can keep his head on straight off the field, Britt might finally become what many hoped he would years ago.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The former Tampa Bay and New Orleans guard was among the best in the league when he signed with the Buccaneers, but injuries and the MRSA virus limited the big man to just nine games over the past two seasons.

He was still making his way back from injury when he decided to hang it up, much to the surprise and chagrin of Buccaneers fans. Though expectations were set low by the past couple of seasons, he was penciled in to start at left guard.

Now Tampa Bay must use the preseason to figure out who will be its new starting left guard, which throws the middle of that offensive line into disarray in the process.

Tennessee Titans

It seems like Justin Hunter has been unstoppable thus far in camp, constantly breaking open in camp report after camp report, per ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky. His ongoing development means big things for a Titans team looking to improve on offense.

Washington

It will be interesting to see how quarterback Robert Griffin III adapts to new head coach Jay Gruden's West Coast offense.

If implemented in a traditional fashion, the offense might not play to Griffin's strengths as a runner. That is not going to be the case, however. Apparently, the offense isn't too dissimilar to last year's, per The Washington Post's Mark Maske:

The early indications, according to Redskins players, are that the shift will be more about tinkering than overhauling.

"It’s not much of a difference from the offense last year, to tell you the truth," wide receiver Pierre Garcon said as he walked off the field at Redskins Park following one offseason practice. "It’s the same offensive coordinating guys from last year."

Gruden promoted Shanahan’s tight ends coach, Sean McVay, to offensive coordinator and vowed to retain ingredients of Shanahan’s offensive system, particularly those involving the running game. Players say they indeed have found Gruden’s system to be similar.

If Griffin's full potential is unleashed, a potent offense is on the horizon.